Melvin Don Doddy
August 19, 1946 ~ February 8, 2022
Services for Melvin Don Doddy, 76, of Allen, Texas, will be 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 19, 2022 at Shady Grove Cemetery under the direction of Reeder-Davis Funeral Home in Hughes Springs. There will be a time of visitation from 1:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Melvin Don Doddy "Sonny" was born August 19, 1946 in Cason, Texas and passed away February 8, 2022 at his home in Allen, Texas. He joined and attended Shady Grove Christian Church while growing up in Cason. He was preceded in death by his father, Claude C. Doddy; mother, Napoleon Gholston Doddy; and brother, Benny C. Doddy.
He leaves to cherish his memory, three aunts, Charlesetta Gholston Hayes, Variene Smith, Bobbie Faye Gholston; as well as numerous relatives and friends.
Melvin graduated from JJ Rhodes High School in Daingerfield, Class of 1964. He graduated from Bishop College in Dallas, Texas in May of 1968 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Then in May of 1975, Melvin received a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Dallas in Irving, Texas. He worked toward a Ph.D in Management and Administrative Science at the University of Texas at Dallas from 1975 - 1977 in Richardson, Texas.
Melvin had an amazing work ethic. He stated that he would work as long as his health permitted. His career spanned for 50 plus years, including teaching at Dallas ISD, Scientific Programmer/Analyst at Los Alamos Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, McKinney Job Corps Center where he served in five positions from 1971-1991, then as a Contract Compliance Evaluator/Manager for the City of Dallas from 1992-2002.
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I offer my sincerest condolences to all who knew and loved Mel. I had the distinct pleasure of working with him during my tenure at the City of Dallas. He was a kind and gentle man with a quick wit. He was always there to help if ever there was a question that needed an answer.
He will be dearly missed.
Mel have provided me with great leadership for the past sixteen years with the City of Dallas. Mel is always calm and tolerant and doesn’t stress his subject about issues. Mel appreciate even the tiniest of effort put in by an employee even when a subordinate has made errors. He knows how to get the people back on track without heaping coal of fire on the person’s head. While on leave, Mel still going to communicate with people at the office to know how things are going. Mel have been a massive influence on me and always exude positive energy that has provide me with an abundance of knowledge on compliance requirements that can change the narrative of any organization.
My wife and I met Mel in 1986 shortly after he moved in across the street from us. He was a great neighbor. Although we did not speak often when we did, he was always interested to learn what was going on at our house. I was fortunate to have a lengthy conversation with him just a week before he passed. We joked about things that were going on in the neighborhood and that even though things have changed over the past 36 years so many things have remained the same. It is still a quiet neighborhood where people look out for each other. My only regret in all these years was not getting to know him better. I will miss our conversations at the mailbox. Rest in peace my friend.
I've had the pleasure of being Mel's next-door neighbor for the past 36 years. I'd like to share what that experience has meant to me.
We moved to our home in 1986 when we had 2 young sons and 2 dogs. We disrupted the quiet that Mel had enjoyed. God bless him as he never complained. The years brought 2 more sons, other pets, bikes, a basketball hoop, old clunker vehicles, projects that detracted from the scenic beauty of our driveways. A more tolerant neighbor we couldn't have had.
In 2006 my husband passed away suddenly on an airplane. Whenever Mel and I would see each other in the driveway we would chat over the trash cans as we wheeled them to the alley. We would take turns bringing the trash cans back to the house for each other. Mel repeatedly asked how I was doing, offered words of encouragement and praise for the job I was doing with the 4 boys. I always walked away feeling comforted.
Every Christmas we'd receive gifts from Mel. A bag of ribeye steaks, Collin Street Bakery fruit cakes. Several times he included his favorite- Crown Royal. Recently he gave me a bag of signature purple Crown Royal Bags. I told him I'd make a quilt out of them. Unfortunately, I didn't finish that project before he ducked out.
My youngest son moved out about 4 years ago. I have not learned to par down my cooking portions so I always had extra. Mel was often the recipient of a big container of one of the various soups I so loved to make. I usually took over homemade cornbread or freshly baked French bread. Mel didn't know HE was my test kitchen, my guinea pig, and my favorite sampler. He always had kind and complimentary words about my cooking. If he didn't like it he never let me know.
At least weekly he would open the garage door, crank up the engine of the gorgeous blue chevy pickup and let it run for 30 minutes or so. Occasionally I would join him as we sat and enjoyed a glass of his preferred beverage, recessed in the garage a bit so as not to let the neighbors know we were indulging in a cocktail.
This is the last memory I'd like to share–I offered to set traps in Mel's yard because recently there was a critter problem in the neighborhood. Mel wanted to provide the bait.
Pecans. 4-5 bags at a time every week or so for 2 months. After I'd bagged 2 raccoons and 3 opossums, I told him he didn't need to bring any more pecans. He didn't understand "No More". The last bag included 4 CR glasses, 2 bottles of margarita cocktail, silver Patron tequila, and 4 pounds of pecans. Friends received a bag of Caramel pecan turtles for Christmas courtesy of Mel.
I will eternally cherish his friendship, kindness, generosity, and acceptance.
Here's to you, Mel
I'm so saddened to hear about Mel's passing. Mel was such a wonderful human who treated everyone he encountered with respect and dignity. He was a gentle giant who earned the love and respect of everyone. My sincere condolences to his family and friends. RIP. 🙏
I am so sorry to here that my friend for over 20 years has left us. Mel was my first boss after college. His big happy smile will always stay with me. He was professional, kind and fair. He even kept my son when I had to take a class to finish that certification for Texas. I remember him asking do you think that joker will stay with me? They became friends. When I picked him up my son had all kinds of foods in a bag. We always exchanged cards for different occasions. I will miss him but I know my friend is in a better place.